Chinese Fringetree

Chionanthus retusus

Chinese Fringetree

This product is currently out of stock and unavailable.

Click for Plant Facts – Height, Width, Sun, Water, & More!
Height : 20 feet
Spread: 20 feet
Sunlight: full sun to partial shade
Water Usage: dry to wet
Landscape Use: Accent, Mass Planting, Hedges/Screening, General Garden Use
Flower Color: White
Bloom Period:In Late Spring
Foliage Type: deciduous
Foliage Color: Green
Deer Resistant?: No

Quick Description
A strikingly beautiful small multi-stemmed tree when in bloom, with frothy upright panicles of very fine strap-like flowers in spring atop the foliage, also attractive berries in fall and interesting bark for winter value; a wonderful landscape accent
Other Names: Fringe Tree

What Makes it Special?
Chinese Fringetree is clothed in stunning panicles of fragrant white flowers rising above the foliage in late spring. It has forest green deciduous foliage. The glossy narrow leaves turn yellow in fall. It produces navy blue berries from early to late fall. The peeling gray bark adds an interesting dimension to the landscape.


Not sure yet? Keep reading ↓ to achieve Plant Geek Status!


Landscape Attributes
Chinese Fringetree is a multi-stemmed deciduous tree with a more or less rounded form. Its relatively coarse texture can be used to stand it apart from other landscape plants with finer foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance tree, and should only be pruned after flowering to avoid removing any of the current season’s flowers. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Planting & Growing
Chinese Fringetree will grow to be about 20 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 20 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 2 feet from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 70 years or more.

This tree does best in full sun to partial shade. It is an amazingly adaptable plant, tolerating both dry conditions and even some standing water. It is not particular as to soil pH, but grows best in rich soils. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This species is not originally from North America.



Want more info on sizes?
IndyPlants sells landscape size plant material. These often come in black nursery containers and are classified in sizes such as #2, #3, #5, etc. This correlates to the volume of the container, 2 gallon, 3, gallon, 5 gallon, etc. The bigger the number, the larger the pot, and the larger the plant. You’ll also see larger sizes such as 2” BB, 2.5” BB, 3” BB, etc. This stands for ‘Balled & Burlapped’. These plants are usually much larger and are not transported in black nursery pots. The sizing correlates to the diameter of the trunk of the tree.

Your Plants, Our Promise

If there’s a problem with a plant you’ve ordered from us, we’ll make it right. Period. Drop us a line at support@indyplants.com with a brief description and photos, and we’ll get back to you ASAP.

Do you accept returns?

We do our best to handpick only the best quality plants from trusted, local nurseries. If for whatever reason your order doesn’t meet your expectations, you can return your plants for a full refund within 48 hours of delivery.

Do your plants have a warranty?

Nature can take a toll on even the best cared for plants. If your plant dies within one year from the date it was delivered, you’ll get an exact replacement to the best of our ability. If you’d prefer a substitution or a full refund, we’ve got you covered.